Everything You Need to Know About EE’s 5G Service Launch in Edinburgh

Telecoms provider EE has announced the launch of its 5G services in Edinburgh, which will include new 5G plans, a range of six 5G-enabled smartphones and devices.

The network will go live in Edinburgh on Thursday the 30th of May. Ahead of the official launch, consumers and businesses across the capital can pre-order new devices, including smartphones produced by Samsung, OnePlus, LG and Oppo.

EE also announced the launch of its 5GEE WiFi and 5GEE home broadband packages, with details on pricing and availability set to be announced in early June.

The new 5G Smart plans will give customers access to the UK’s first 5G network, BT Sport HD HDR and an exclusive Gamer’s Data Pass with zero-rated data. Customers will also have the chance to upgrade anytime and receive a device warranty for the duration of their contract, the company said.

Marc Allera, CEO of BT’s Consumer Division, said: “This is the start of the UK’s 5G journey and great news for our customers that want and need the best connections. We’ve started with 5G in some of the busiest parts of the UK, the widest range of 5G devices in the UK, and plans that give customers the best mobile connection and great benefits.

“We’re adding 5G to the UK’s number one 4G network to increase reliability, increase speeds, and keep our customers connected where they need it most.”

Allera added: “5G will create new experiences with augmented reality, make our customers’ lives easier and help launch entirely new businesses that we haven’t even imagined. We’re upgrading more than 100 sites to 5G every month from today to connect more places to what 5G can enable.”

What is 5G and how will it improve network services?

5G is the fifth generation of mobile internet connectivity, which offers far greater speeds than what consumers currently experience with 4G.

Faster data downloads, faster upload speeds, more stable connections and a wider range of coverage are some of the benefits of 5G for customers and businesses across the UK.

EE said it is launching its 5G network in some of the busiest parts of the UK for maximum customer impact. The network operator said it expects customers in Edinburgh to experience an increase in speeds of “around 100-150Mbps even in the busiest areas.”

Some customers could even break the one gigabit-per-second milestone on their 5G smartphones. Comparing these speeds to the fastest available when EE launched 4G in 2012 (50Mbps) and the increase in capability is clear. 5G is also built on top of EE’s 4G network, which means customers will connect to both at the same time to ensure the best possible connectivity options – even in the most crowded areas of the city.

Edinburgh isn’t alone in this roll-out, either, with Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester, Belfast and London all set for launch this month. Next year, the company also intends to launch 5G in a host of cities across the UK. Aberdeen, in particular, has been earmarked for 5G rollout.